Method and apparatus for manufacturing package of extraction bag

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing a package in which an extraction bag having four triangular surfaces is stored in an exterior bag includes: a direction regulation step of regulating a direction of the extraction bag to be a specified direction; a pressing step of pressing the extraction bag so that one surface or one side of the extraction bag is folded into two; a folding step of folding the extraction bag by surface-pressing of the extraction bag from both sides of surfaces that are overlapped upon being folded into two; and a packaging step of forming a package in which the folded extraction bag is stored in the exterior bag. According to the method, when a trigonal-pyramid pack is packaged with an exterior bag, the trigonal-pyramid pack can be closed in the exterior bag in the state of being folded flat in a fixed form.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for packaging anextraction bag to obtain a package in which the extraction bag havingfour triangular surfaces is closed in an exterior bag.

BACKGROUND ART

Tea bags of black tea, green tea, herb tea and the like, as well asextraction bags of soup such as dried sardine and dried bonito are madefrom a belt-like water filter sheet. The water filter sheet is formedinto tetrahedral or pyramid-like bags having four triangular surfaces,and each of the bags is filled with extraction materials such as tealeaves so as to be used as so-called a trigonal-pyramid pack. Examplesof the trigonal-pyramid pack include a trigonal-pyramid pack with athread tag in which a hanging thread and a tag to be used as a knobpiece are attached to its outer surface.

The trigonal-pyramid packs are widely marketed in the form of beingindividually packaged with a flat bag-type exterior bag which is formedof an air-impermeable outer packaging film. Individual packagingmachines which industrially perform individual packaging oftrigonal-pyramid packs have also been known (Patent Literatures 1 and2).

CITATION LIST Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: InternationalPublication No WO/2009/100751

Patent Literature 2: International Publication No. WO/2009/101686

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

In a conventional individual packaging machine which individuallypackages trigonal-pyramid packs, a trigonal-pyramid pack is fed to acylindrical guide and is pressed into an exterior bag by a pusher, andthe exterior bag is sealed so as to manufacture a package of thetrigonal-pyramid pack. Since an extraction bag sheet to form thetriangular pack is a fabric, such as a thin nonwoven fabric or nylongauze, the trigonal-pyramid pack is easily squashed inside the exteriorbag by simple action of being pressed by the pusher.

However, in the package manufactured in this manner, the triangular packis irregularly squashed, which may provide the pack with an unnecessarythickness and makes the pack bulky. As a result, an outer size of thepack may become unstable. Furthermore, when the triangular pack has athread tag, the tag may be folded, the tag may be detached from thetrigonal-pyramid pack, or a hanging thread is bit into a seal portion atthe edge of the exterior bag in the process of the triangular pack beingsquashed. This leads to increase in the possibility of producingdefective products.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to package atrigonal-pyramid pack with an exterior bag by closing thetrigonal-pyramid pack in the exterior bag in the state of being foldedflat in a fixed form.

Solution to Problem

The present inventors have found that a trigonal-pyramid pack can befolded flat if one side or one surface of the trigonal-pyramid pack isfolded into two and then surface-pressing of the trigonal-pyramid packis performed and that the above-stated object can be achieved bypackaging the flat-folded trigonal-pyramid pack. The present inventionhas been completed based on the finding.

That is, the present invention is a method for manufacturing a packagein which an extraction bag having four triangular surfaces is stored inan exterior bag, the method including:

a direction regulation step of regulating a direction of the extractionbag to be a specified direction;

a pressing step of pressing the extraction bag so that one surface orone side of the extraction bag is folded into two;

a folding step of folding the extraction bag by surface-pressing of theextraction bag from both sides of surfaces which are overlapped uponbeing folded into two; and

a packaging step of forming a package in which the folded extraction bagis stored in the exterior bag.

In the packaging method in particular, the extraction bag is anextraction bag with a thread tag in which a tag joined to a hangingthread is attached to a triangular surface, and

in the direction regulation step, the direction of the extraction bag isregulated to be a direction in which the triangular surface with the tagattached thereto is not folded in the folding step.

Moreover, the present invention is an apparatus for manufacturing apackage in which an extraction bag having four triangular surfaces isstored in an exterior bag, the apparatus including:

a direction regulation device for regulating a direction of theextraction bag to be a specified direction;

a pressing device for pressing the extraction bag so that one surface orone side of the extraction bag is folded into two;

a folding device for performing surface-pressing of the extraction bagfrom both sides of surfaces that are overlapped upon being folded intotwo so as to fold the extraction bag flat; and

a package forming device for packaging the folded extraction bag with anouter packaging film so as to form a package in which the extraction bagis stored in the exterior bag formed of the outer packaging film.

Particularly, in the apparatus for manufacturing a package, theextraction bag is an extraction bag with a thread tag in which a tagjoined to a hanging thread is attached to a triangular surface, and

the direction regulation device regulates the direction of thetriangular surface with the tag attached thereto to be a direction inwhich the surface is not pressed inside by the pressing device.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, the trigonal-pyramid pack can befolded flat, and a package in which the flat folded trigonal-pyramidpack is stored in an exterior bag can be obtained. Therefore, it becomespossible to prevent the package of the trigonal-pyramid pack frombecoming unnecessarily bulky.

Furthermore, in the case of the trigonal-pyramid pack with a thread tag,a package can be obtained in which a trigonal-pyramid pack is foldedflat without the tag being folded and is sealed in an exterior bag.Therefore, in individual packaging of the trigonal-pyramid packs, itbecomes possible to prevent production of defective products having thetag being folded, with the tag being detached from the trigonal-pyramidpack, or having the hanging thread being bit into a seal section at theedge of the exterior bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a package manufacturing apparatus 1A of anembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the package manufacturingapparatus 1A of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the longitudinal sectional view ofthe package manufacturing apparatus 1A of the embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a longitudinal sectional view of a hopper-type holdingdevice.

FIG. 4B is a top view of the hopper-type holding device.

FIG. 4C is a cross sectional view of the hopper-type holding devicealong line A-A of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4D is a cross sectional view of the hopper-type holding devicealong line B-B of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5(1) is a perspective view of an extraction bag with a thread tagbefore the tag is stripped, while FIG. 5(2) is a perspective view of thesame after the tag is stripped.

FIG. 6A is an explanatory view of the extraction bag being folded in apressing device.

FIG. 6B is an explanatory view of the extraction bag being folded in thepressing device.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a folding device which received the extractionbag.

FIG. 8A is a cross sectional view of the folding device which receivedthe extraction bag along line A-A of FIG. 7.

FIG. 8B is an explanatory view of the action of the folding device.

FIG. 8C is an explanatory view of the action of the folding device.

FIG. 8D is an explanatory view of the action of the folding device.

FIG. 9A is a top view of the pressing device.

FIG. 9B is a side view of the pressing device.

FIG. 9C is a side view of the pressing device of FIG. 9A as viewed fromB direction.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the action of the pressing device andthe folding device.

FIG. 11 is a side view of an extraction device.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the extraction device and a transfer device.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory view of a modified example of installationpositions of tag direction confirmation cameras.

FIG. 14A is a schematic view of a package manufacturing apparatus 1B ofan embodiment.

FIG. 14B is a schematic view of a direction regulation device portion inthe package manufacturing apparatus 1B of the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a package manufacturing apparatus 1C ofan embodiment.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of the function of the packagemanufacturing apparatus 1C of the embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail withreference to the drawings. Note that identical or similar componentmembers are designated by identical reference numerals throughout therespective drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic, view of a manufacturing apparatus 1A whichperforms a package manufacturing method of one embodiment of the presentinvention. The package manufacturing apparatus 1A is an apparatusconfigured to manufacture a package 10 in which an extraction bag 2having four triangular surfaces, such as a tetrahedral tea bag, isindividually packaged with an exterior bag 11 that is formed into a flatbag by three-side sealing. The package manufacturing apparatus 1Agenerally includes: a direction regulation device 20 which performs adirection regulation step of regulating the direction of the extractionbags 2 which are continuously fed from a belt conveyer 90 to be aspecified direction; a pressing device 30 which performs a pressing stepof pressing the extraction bag 2 so that one surface or one side of theextraction bag 2, which was fed from the direction regulation device 20to have the specified direction, is folded into two; a folding device 40which performs a folding step of folding the extraction bag 2 flat bysurface-pressing of the extraction bag 2 from both front and rear sideof surfaces that are overlapped upon being folded into two by thepressing device 30; and a package forming device 50 which performs apackaging step of forming a package 10 by individually packaging theextraction bag 2 folded flat by the folding device 40 with an outerpackaging film 12.

Note that the extraction bag 2 to be fed to the package manufacturingapparatus 1A may be manufactured by a publicly known method whichincludes: forming a belt-like water filter sheet into a cylindricalshape by bonding opposite edges of the water filter sheet to each other;and alternately forming a first horizontal seal obtained by squashingthe cylindrical body and welding/melt-cutting the cylindrical body in awidth direction and a second horizontal seal obtained bywelding/melt-cutting the cylindrical body in another width directionthat is orthogonal to the previous width direction while fillingcontents in between these horizontal seal formations. For example, theextraction bag 2 may be an extraction bag with a thread tag asillustrated in FIG. 5(1), in which a tag 4 joined as a knob piece to oneend of a hanging thread 3 of the extraction bag 2 is attached to atriangular surface of the extraction bag 2. When the extraction bag 2with a thread tag is used, the tag 4 is stripped from the surface of theextraction bag 2, so that a bag body 2′ can be hung with a hangingthread 3 that extends from the tag 4 as illustrated in FIG. 5(2).Examples of a more concrete method for manufacturing such an extractionbag 2 include a method disclosed in International Publication No.WO/2011/61846.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of part of the packagemanufacturing apparatus 1A in which the direction regulation device 20,the pressing device 30, and the folding device 40 are incorporated. FIG.3 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of a hopper-type holding device 22included in the direction regulation device 20.

The direction regulation device 20 has a plurality of hopper-typeholding devices 22 mounted on an upper table 21 which rotates around ashaft L1 in a direction of arrow A in FIG. 1. FIG. 4A is a longitudinalsectional view of the hopper-type holding device 22, and FIG. 4B is atop view of the hopper-type holding device 22. Provided in the bottom ofeach hopper-type holding device 22 is a placement section 23 formed tohave a triangular hole in a transverse section so that one triangularsurface of the extraction bag 2 goes therein. The bottom of theplacement section 23 is formed from a shutter 24. The shutter 24 takes aposition of closing the bottom of the placement section 23 asillustrated with a dashed line in FIG. 4B and a position of opening thebottom of the placement section 23 as illustrated with a two-dot chainline in the same drawing by means of a cam mechanism including a cam 241and a cam follower 242 (FIG. 3).

The direction regulation device 20 has a rocking mechanism 25 includinga rocking cylinder 251, a rocking cam 252, and a rocking cam follower253 so that oscillation can be provided to the extraction bag 2 retainedby the hopper-type holding device 22 in a rocking region R that is aspecified range in the direction of arrow A starting from a position P1where the hopper-type holding device 22 receives the extraction bag 2from the belt conveyer 90. Even if the triangular surface of theextraction bag 2 does not fit into the placement section 23 at thebeginning when the extraction bag 2 is fed to the hopper-type holdingdevice 22 from the belt conveyer 90, oscillation by the rockingmechanism 25 is applied to the extraction bag 2 on the placement section23 in the rocking region R as the hopper-type holding device 22 moves onthe upper table 21. As a result, the oscillation helps the triangularsurface of the extraction bag 2 to be fitted into the placement section23, and thereby the direction of the extraction bag 2 is regulated to bealigned with the direction of the triangular hole of the placementsection 23.

The rocking mechanism 25 which applies oscillation to the extraction bag2 retained on the hopper-type holding device 22 is not limited to theaforementioned example in which the rocking cylinder 251 is used.Various mechanisms using motors and cranks may be provided instead.

As illustrated in FIG. 4C, the direction regulation device 20 also has,as a placement section positioning mechanism 26 which sets the placementsection 23 in a specified direction, positioning recess sections 261provided at intervals of 120 degrees on the periphery of the lateralsurface of the hopper-type holding device 22, and a positioning ballplunger 262. By pressing the positioning ball plunger 262 to thepositioning recess sections 261, the triangular hole of the placementsection 23 may be fixed in the specified direction. Here, the directionof the placement section 23 is adjusted to be the direction in which onesurface or one side of the extraction bag 2 is folded into two in thedownstream pressing device 30. This makes it possible to finely fold theextraction bag 2.

Further, the direction regulation device 20 has a tag directionregulation mechanism 27 which regulates, when the extraction bag 2 is anextraction bag with a thread tag, the direction of the tag 4 of theextraction bag 2 which was fitted into the placement section 23, so asto prevent the tag 4 from being folded by the pressing device 30 and/orthe folding device 40 on the downstream side. More specifically, asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to enable the direction of thetag 4 of the extraction bag 2 to be detected at an observation positionP2 downstream from the rocking region R, two tag direction confirmationcameras 271 (271 p, 271 q) are provided to horizontally observe theextraction bag 2, which is at the observation position P2, from threedirections, and a CPU 272 is provided for controlling the cameras 271.As illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4D, inspection holes 273 for allowing thetag direction confirmation cameras 271 (271 p, 271 q) to observe theextraction bag 2, which has been fitted into the placement section 23,are formed on the lower lateral surface of the hopper-type holdingdevice 22 at intervals of 120 degrees. Positioning holes 274 (FIG. 4B)are also provided on the periphery of the upper surface of thehopper-type holding device 22 at intervals of 120 degrees, and anengaging pin 275 which can be inserted and removed to/from thepositioning hole 274 is provided at a tag direction adjustment positionP3 downstream of the observation position P2.

It is to be noted that in the present embodiment, the direction in whichthe extraction bag 2 fitted into the placement section 23 is pressed bythe pressing device 30 on the downstream is the direction toward theshaft L1 that is the center of rotation of the upper table in plan viewas illustrated with arrow X in FIG. 4D.

The engaging pin 275 moves up and down by a lifting cylinder 276, andmoves in a direction of arrow q (FIG. 4B) on the level plane by 120degrees at a time with a rotary motor 277. Accordingly, the engaging pin275 is inserted into the positioning hole 274 at the tag directionadjustment position P3 and the engaging pin 275 is moved in thedirection of arrow q by 120 degrees at a time, so that the direction ofthe placement section 23 can be changed.

Further, when one surface abc of the extraction bag 2 (vertexes beingabcd) is pressed inside and thereby folded into two by the pressingdevice 30 on the downstream side as illustrated with a dashed line inFIG. 6A(1), the surface which is not folded is a surface bcd which isgenerally parallel to the pressing direction as illustrated in FIG.6A(2). Moreover, when one side ab of the extraction bag 2 is pressedinside and thereby folded into two by the pressing device 30 asillustrated with a dashed line in FIG. 6B(1), the surface which is notfolded is a surface bcd and a surface add which face the side ab that isfolded into two as illustrated in FIG. 6B(2).

Accordingly, in order to set the surface of the extraction bag 2 withthe tag 4 attached thereto as the surface which is not folded by thepressing device 30 as described above, the tag direction regulationmechanism 27 adjusts the direction of the extraction bag 2 to be aspecified direction by rotating the placement section 23 by 120 degreesat a time with use of the engaging pin 275 based on the observationresult with the tag direction confirmation cameras 271 p and 271 q. Inother words, when the tag is observed with the tag directionconfirmation camera 271 p illustrated in FIG. 4D (when the tag ispresent on the surface (p) of the extraction bag 2), the placementsection 23 is rotated by 120 degrees clockwise so that the tag ispositioned on the surface (r). When the tag is observed with the tagdirection confirmation camera 271 q (when the tag is present on thesurface (q) of the extraction bag 2), the placement section 23 isrotated by 120 degrees counterclockwise so that the tag is positioned onthe surface (r). When the tag is not observed with both the tagdirection confirmation cameras 271 p and 271 q, then the tag is eitheron the surface (r) of the extraction bag 2 or on the surface facing thebottom of the placement section 23. Therefore, rotation of the placementsection 23 is not performed.

After the direction of the extraction bag 2 is adjusted to be thespecified direction at the tag direction adjustment position P3, thehopper-type holding device 22 starts to descend with the aid of the cammechanism including a hopper lifting cam 221 and a hopper lifting camfollower 222 at a hopper descend start position P4 that is downstreamfrom the position P3 as illustrated in FIG. 3, and comes closer to areceiving position P5 of the extraction bag 2 on a lower table 28. Then,the shutter 24 of the hopper-type holding device 22 opens at thereceiving position P5, and the extraction bag 2 is dropped to thefolding device 40 on the lower table 28. Then, the shutter 24 is closed,and the hopper-type holding device 22 ascends and receives supply of theextraction bag 2 again at the position P1 from the belt conveyer 90.

In the package manufacturing apparatus 1A of the present embodiment, thepressing device 30 and the folding device 40 are mounted on the lowertable 28 which rotates around the shaft L1 in a direction of arrow B inFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the folding device 40 which has received theextraction bag 2 at the receiving position P5, and FIG. 8A is a crosssectional view along line A-A. As illustrated in the drawings, thefolding device 40 includes an upper plate 41 having a flat surface witha recessed shape, a lower plate 42 having a flat surface with aprojecting shape, and a fixing-plate 43 placed in parallel with andbehind the lower plate 42 (at the side of the rotation center of thelower table 28).

In order to rotate the upper plate 41, the lower table 28 includes a cammechanism including an upper plate cam 411 and an upper plate camfollower 412. With this mechanism, a slider 413 moves back and forth ona rail 414, and one end of an articulated arm 416 rotates around a shaftL3 via a rod 415, whereby the upper plate 41 rotates around a shaft L2.Accordingly, the upper plate 41 takes a position opened to the lowerplate 42 as illustrated in FIG. 8A and a position closed to the lowerplate 42 as illustrated in FIGS. 8C and 8D. FIG. 8C is a view of theupper plate 41 in the closed state as viewed from the A-A direction ofFIG. 7 as in the case of FIG. 8A, and FIG. 8D is a side view of theupper plate 41 in the closed state as viewed from the B-B direction ofFIG. 7.

In order to rotate the lower plate 42, the lower table 28 includes alower plate cam 421 and a lower plate cam follower 422. Consequently, aslider 423 moves back and forth on a rail 424, and a lower plate fixture426 rotates around the shaft L3 via a rod 425, while the lower plate 42mounted on the lower plate fixture 426 also rotates. Accordingly, thelower plate 42 takes a position at which the plate surface is leveled asillustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, and a position at which the platesurface has been rotated to be generally vertical as illustrated in FIG.8C.

In the present invention, the pressing device 30 is a device forpressing so that one surface or one side of the extraction bag 2 fedfrom the hopper-type holding device 22 is folded into two. In thepresent embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 9A, the pressing device 30includes a tabular pressing plate 31 for pressing one side ab of theextraction bag 2 (vertexes being abcd) fed onto the lower plate 42 ofthe folding device 40. The pressing device 30 also includes two pressingplates 31 so that one sides of two extraction bags 2 may respectively befolded into two.

FIG. 9B is a side view of the pressing device 30 of FIG. 9A as viewedfrom A direction, and FIG. 9C is a side view of the pressing device 30of FIG. 9A as viewed from B direction.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9B and 9C, the pressing device 30 has areciprocating motor 311 and a lifting motor 312. By moving a slider 314back and forth on a rail 313 with the reciprocating motor 311, thepressing plate 31 reciprocates with respect to the extraction bag 2 in ahorizontal direction x. Moreover, by ascending and descending a table315 with the lifting motor 312, the pressing plate 31 ascends anddescends. By combining the reciprocation motion and theascending/descending motion of the pressing plate 31 and also combiningopening and closing motions of the upper plate 41 and the lower plate 42of the above-mentioned folding device 40, the extraction bag 2 can befolded as illustrated in FIG. 10. In short, the pressing plate 31 ispressed into one side ab of the extraction bag 2 fed onto the lowerplate 42 of the folding device 40.

Next, the upper plate 41 of the folding device 40 is rotated, andsurface-pressing of the extraction bag 2 is performed from both sides sothat a surface S (FIG. 8B) overlapped by folding the side ab into two isheld by the upper plate 41 and the lower plate 42 (FIG. 10(2)), so thatthe extraction bag 2 is folded flat (FIGS. 10(3) and 8C). In the processof folding the extraction bag 2 flat, the pressing plate 31, whose platesurface is inclined with respect to the level plane, is moved downwardwhile gradually being advanced so as to press the extraction bag (FIG.8A). Then, after the extraction bag 2 is folded flat by laying the upperplate 41 on top of the lower plate 42, the pressing plate 31 is movedupward while being retreated (FIG. 8B), and the pressing plate 31 isdrawn out from the extraction bag 2 (FIGS. 10(4) and 8C). Therefore, thepressing plate 31 does not hinder folding of the extraction bag 2.

Next, as illustrated with the arrows in FIGS. 10(5) and 8C, the lowerplate 42 is rotated to detach the lower plate 42 from the flat foldedextraction bag 2. As a result, part of the flat folded extraction bag 2at the side of the rotation center of the lower table 28 is put in thestate of being held in between the fixing plate 43 and the upper plate41. However, since the upper plate has a recessed shape, the extractionbag 2 can newly be held through a clearance in the center of therecessed shape, so that the extraction bag 2 can be taken out of thefolding device 40 in the state of being folded and be sent to thepackage forming device 50 which forms packages.

The package forming device 50 is configured to package the extractionbag 2 with an outer packaging film to form a package 10, in which theflat folded extraction bag 2 is stored in a flat bag-type exterior bag11 made of the outer packaging film. In the present invention, thepackage forming device 50 is not particularly limited, and variousdevices can be used such as a device illustrated in FIG. 1, which foldsa belt-like outer packaging film 12 into two so that the top of a foldfaces down, moves the film in a horizontal direction, inserts a flatfolded extraction bag 2 into a double-folded outer packaging film 12,forms the outer packaging film 12 into flat bags by thermal bonding, andseparates the formed packages from each other.

In this case, it is preferable to use delivery means that is acombination of an extraction device 60 illustrated in FIG. 11 and atransfer device 70 illustrated in FIG. 12 to insert the extraction bag 2into the double-folded outer packaging film 12.

That is, the extraction device 60 illustrated in FIG. 11 includes anextraction gripper 61 which can holds the double-folded extraction bag2. In the extraction gripper 61, the gap between a pair of grippers canbe freely opened and closed by an opening/closing motor 62. Theextraction device 60 also includes a reciprocating motor 63 and a90-degree rotation motor 64. The extraction gripper 61 is retreated in adirection of arrow a with the reciprocating motor 63, and also a gripsurface of the extraction gripper 61 is rotated by 90 degrees around ashaft L4 in a longitudinal direction of the extraction gripper 61 withthe 90-degree rotation motor 64. At the same time, the position of theextraction gripper 61 is rotated in a direction of arrow b so as to movethe extraction gripper 61 to a relay position Pa illustrated with adashed line in FIG. 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the transfer device 70 has a relay gripper 71and an insertion gripper 72 which can hold the flat folded extractionbag 2 as with the case of the extraction device 60. The relay gripper 71is moved by a relay gripper opening/closing motor 73 which opens andcloses the relay gripper 71 and a 90-degree rotation motor 74 whichrotates the relay gripper 71 by 90 degrees in a direction of arrow a.

Similarly, the insertion gripper 72 is also moved by a gripperopening/closing motor and a 90-degree rotation motor.

Therefore, according to the extraction device 60 and the transfer device70, the flat folded extraction bag 2 which is held with the upper plate41 and the fixing plate 43 of the folding device 40 is first held withthe extraction gripper 61 of the extraction device 60. The grip surfaceis then rotated by 90 degrees, and the position of the extractiongripper 61 is also rotated to move the extraction gripper 61 to therelay position Pa. Next, the extraction bag 2 held with the extractiongripper 61 at the relay position Pa is held with the relay gripper 71 ofthe transfer, device 70, and the holding with the extraction gripper 61is cancelled. The relay gripper 71 is rotated by 90 degrees asillustrated with arrow a in FIG. 12 to move the relay gripper 71 to adelivery position Pb. At the delivery position Pb, the extraction bag 2held with the relay gripper 71 is held with the insertion gripper 72,and the holding with the relay gripper 71 is cancelled. The insertiongripper 72 is rotated by 90 degrees as illustrated with arrow b in FIG.12, and the extraction bag 2 is inserted into the double-folded outerpackaging film 12.

Using the extraction device 60 and the transfer device 70 in this mannermakes it possible to send the flat folded extraction bag 2 in the flatfolded state to the package forming device 50. In addition, when theaforementioned folding device 40 and the package forming device 50 areinstalled as an industrial line, installation arrangement becomes easy.

In the extraction device 60 and/or the transfer device 70, rotation ofthe grip surface can properly be performed in accordance with thedirection of the production line and the number of 90-degree rotationsof the grip position may properly be determined in accordance with thedistance between the folding device 40 and the package forming device50.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, once the flat folded extraction bag 2 isreceived inside the double-folded outer packaging film 12, the packageforming device 50 temporarily bonds a portion to be a side seal 111 ofthe exterior bag 11 by a thermocompression bonding device 52. Meanwhile,inert gas, such as nitrogen gas, is sent from a gas introducing pipe 51into the double-folded outer packaging film 12 that is downstream fromthe position where the temporary bonding is performed. Accordingly, inthe aforementioned temporary bonding, the portion that is to be the sideseal 111 is heat-bonded except the region where the gas introducing pipe51 passes along. Next, a portion used as a top seal 112 of the exteriorbag 11 is heat-bonded by the thermocompression bonding device 53, andalso the whole region of the portion used as the side seal 111 of theexterior bag 11 is heat-bonded by the thermocompression bonding device54. The top seal portion is cooled with a roll-shaped cooling device 55.Then, a cooling device-cum-cutter 56 having a retractable cutter 56 bprovided inside a cooling device 56 a is used to cool the side sealportion with the cooling device 56 a, while exterior bags linked throughthe side seal are severed from each other with the cutter 56 b to obtaineach of the packages 10 of the extraction bag 2.

The present invention may be embodied in various modes. For example, inthe aforementioned manufacturing apparatus 1A, when the extraction bag 2is of a type without a thread tag, the direction of the triangularsurfaces of the extraction bag 2 may be regulated by the directionregulation device 20 so that one surface of the extraction bag 2 isfolded into two by the pressing device 30 as illustrated in FIG. 6A.When the extraction bag 2 has a rectangular pyramid-like bottom, thehole in the placement section 23 of the hopper-type holding device 22may have a rectangular shape.

In the tag direction regulation mechanism 27, the extraction bag 2 atthe observation position P2 may be observed from the top with use of thetag direction confirmation camera 271 as illustrated in FIG. 13.

Further, in the direction regulation device 20 which regulates thedirection of the extraction bag 2, the device which retains theextraction bag 2 so that one triangular surface of the extraction bag 2makes a lowermost end as in the case of the aforementioned hopper-typeholding device 22 may be replaced with a device which retains theextraction bag 2 with one side thereof making the lowermost end.

As the pressing device which presses the extraction bag 2 so that onesurface or one side of the extraction bag 2 is folded into two, thedevice which reciprocates a plate material like the aforementionedpressing plate 31 may be replaced with a device which presses theextraction bag 2 with a rotating disk which is brought into contact withone surface or one side of the extraction bag 2 at right angles.

As the folding device which folds the extraction bag 2 flat, the devicewhich applies pressure on the extraction bag 2 with use of the flatsurfaces of the plate-like materials that face each other as in theaforementioned folding device 40 may be replaced with a device whichholds the extraction bag 2 in between rotating belts that face eachother.

The aforementioned modified modes may appropriately be combined.

For example, a package manufacturing apparatus 1B illustrated in FIG.14A includes: a device to be used as a direction regulation deviceincluding a tray 110 which retains an extraction bag 2 so that one sideof the extraction bag 2 makes a lowermost end and transfer means (notillustrated) which transfers the extraction bag 2 retained on the tray110 so that one side of the extraction bag 2 that makes the lowermostend may align with the conveying direction of the extraction bag 2; arotating disk 120 to be used as the pressing device; and belts 130 to beused as a folding device which rotate while facing each other.

The tray 110 has two placement portions 111 and 112 for the extractionbag 2, which are formed by crisscrossing grooves with a V shapedcross-section in vertical and horizontal directions. In themanufacturing apparatus 1B, a plurality of similar trays 110 are arrayedand are circulated as shown with arrows.

The manufacturing apparatus 1B operates as follows. First, theextraction bags 2, which are continuously fed from the apparatus formanufacturing the extraction bag 2, are received one by one at the firstplacement portion 111 of the tray 110.

When the extraction bag 2 is of a type with a thread tag, it isnecessary to prevent the tag 4 from being folded when the extraction bag2 is pressed with the rotating disk 120. Accordingly, when theextraction bag 2 is transferred from the first placement portion 111 tothe second placement portion 112, the direction of the extraction bag 2is properly changed so that the triangular surface with the tag 4attached thereto is positioned to face the side of the extraction bag 2which is to be pressed by the rotating disk. More specifically, in thecase of the extraction bag fed from an apparatus for industriallymanufacturing trigonal-pyramid packs (such as the apparatus described inInternational Publication No. 2011/61846), the direction of thelowermost side of the extraction bag 2 that is received in the firstplacement portion 111 of the tray 110 and the direction of the surfacewith the tag 4 attached thereto are alternately changed as illustratedin FIG. 14A. Accordingly, for example, when the direction of thelowermost side of the extraction bag 2 that is received in the placementportion 111 is aligned with the direction of the conveying direction ofthe extraction bag 2 as illustrated in (I), the extraction bag 2 istransferred to the placement portion 112 without changing the directionof the extraction bag 2. Contrary to this, as illustrated in (II), whenthe direction of the lowermost side of the extraction bag 2 that isreceived in the placement portion 111 is vertical to the conveyingdirection of the extraction bag 2 and the surface with the tag 4attached thereto faces upward, the extraction bag 2 are verticallyreversed, and the extraction bag 2 is transferred so that the side thatforms the surface with the tag 4 attached thereto makes a lowermostside.

Moreover, in the case of the extraction bag 2 being of a type without athread tag in the manufacturing apparatus 1B, for example, when thedirection of the lowermost side of the extraction bag 2 received in theplacement portion 111 is aligned with the direction of the conveyingdirection of extraction bag 2 as illustrated in (I) of FIG. 14B, theextraction bag 2 may be transferred to the placement portion 112 withoutchanging the direction of the extraction bag 2. When the direction ofthe lowermost side of the extraction bag 2 which is received in theplacement portion 111 is vertical to the conveying direction of theextraction bag 2 as illustrated in (II) of FIG. 14B, the extraction bag2 may be rotated 90 degrees inside the level plane and be transferred tothe placement portion 112.

After the direction of the extraction bag 2 is regulated in this manner,the tray 110 retaining the extraction bag 2 passes under the rotatingdisk 120. The upper end side of the extraction bag 2 is pressed insideby the rotating disk 120 in the direction vertical thereto, so that theside may finely be folded into two. Then, subsequent to this, theextraction bag 2 is passed between the belts 130 facing each other, bywhich the extraction bag 2 is folded flat. The flat folded extractionbag 2 may be inserted into the outer packaging film 12, which is foldedinto two by the package forming device 50 with the same means as theextraction device and the transfer device having grippers as describedbefore.

A package manufacturing apparatus 1C illustrated in FIG. 15 includes abucket table 140 as the direction regulation device which retains theextraction bag 2 so that one side of the extraction bag 2 makes thelowermost side. FIG. 16 is an explanatory view of the action inside thebucket 141. A right-side column of FIG. 16 illustrates cross sectionalviews of the bucket 141 as viewed from A direction in FIG. 15 (arotation direction of a bucket table), and a left-side columnillustrates cross sectional views of the bucket 141 as viewed from Bdirection in FIG. 15 (a radial direction of rotation of the buckettable).

While the surface of an upper end opening of the bucket 141 is generallya square shape so that the extraction bag 2 thrown in the bucket 141 isretained with one side of the extraction bag 2 making the lowermost end,the bottom thereof is formed narrow so as to have a triangular crosssection as viewed from the A direction in FIG. 15.

The manufacturing apparatus 1C includes a pressing plate 150 to be usedas a pressing device which presses one side of the extraction bag 2 thatmakes an uppermost side in the bucket 141, the pressing plate 150 beingpressed with a plate surface thereof being in the direction vertical toone side that is the uppermost side of the extraction bag 2. Themanufacturing apparatus 1C also includes pressure plates 160 to be usedas a folding device which holds two facing surfaces of the extractionbag 2 inside the bucket 141.

The pair of pressure plates 160 of the folding device are in the statewhere both the plates are opened in a V shape along the inner wall ofthe bucket 141, when the bucket 141 receives the extraction bag 2. Theopening width of the V shape is variable and the pair of pressure plates160 can take a position where the opening of the V shape is closed atthe center of the bucket.

In the manufacturing apparatus 1C, when the bucket 141 receives theextraction bag 2 from the belt conveyer 90, the bucket 141 retains theextraction bag 2 so that one side of the extraction bag 2 makes alowermost end (FIG. 16( a)). Next, the pressing plate 150 presses theuppermost side of the extraction bag 2 that is retained on the bucket141, and also narrows the opening of the pressure plates 160 which isopened in the V shape along the inner wall of the bucket 141 (FIG. 16(b)). Then, the extraction bag 2 is folded flat and further presseddownward with the pressing plate 150, and the flat folded extraction bag2 is dropped to a bottom receiving guide 142 (FIG. 16( c)). The bottomreceiving guide 142 is a plate-like member which opens and closes alower part of the bottom of the bucket 141. A plate-like side guide 143stands on each side of the bottom receiving guide 142 to help theextraction bag 2 dropped to the bottom receiving guide 142 to beretained there.

The extraction bag 2 dropped to the bottom receiving guide 142 is heldby the gripper 170, and the bottom receiving guide 142 is removed fromthe lower part of the bottom of the bucket 141, so that the extractionbag 2 is sent to the package forming device 50 with use of the gripper170 (FIG. 16( d)).

According to the manufacturing apparatus 1C, it becomes possible toobtain a package in which the extraction bag 2 without a thread tag isfinely folded.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   -   1A, 1B, 1C Package manufacturing apparatus    -   2 Extraction bag or extraction bag with thread    -   4 tag    -   3 Hanging thread    -   4 Tag    -   10 Package    -   11 Exterior bag    -   111 Side seal    -   112 Top seal    -   12 Outer packaging film    -   20 Direction regulation device    -   21 Upper table    -   22 Hopper-type holding device    -   221 Hopper lifting cam    -   222 Hopper lifting cam follower    -   23 Placement section    -   24 Shutter    -   241 Cam for opening/closing shutter    -   242 Cam follower for opening/closing shutter    -   25 Rocking mechanism    -   251 Rocking cylinder    -   252 Rocking cam    -   253 Rocking cam follower    -   26 Placement section positioning mechanism    -   261 Positioning recess section    -   262 Positioning ball plunger    -   27 Tag direction regulation mechanism    -   271, 271 p, 271 q Tag direction confirmation camera    -   272 CPU    -   273 Inspection hole    -   274 Positioning hole    -   275 Engaging pin    -   276 Lifting cylinder    -   277 Rotary motor    -   28 Lower table    -   30 Pressing device    -   31 Pressing plate    -   311 Reciprocating motor    -   312 Lifting motor    -   313 Rail    -   314 Slider    -   315 Table    -   40 Folding device    -   41 Upper plate    -   411 Upper plate cam    -   412 Upper plate cam follower    -   413 Slider    -   414 Rail    -   415 Rod    -   416 Articulated arm    -   42 Lower plate    -   421 Lower plate cam    -   422 Lower plate cam follower    -   423 Slider    -   424 Rail    -   425 Rod    -   426 Lower plate fixture    -   43 Fixing plate    -   50 Package forming device    -   51 Gas introducing pipe    -   52 Thermocompression bonding device    -   53 Thermocompression bonding device    -   54 Thermocompression bonding device    -   55 Cooling device    -   56 Cooling device-cum-cutter    -   56 a Cooling device    -   56 b Cutter    -   57 Cutter    -   60 Extraction device    -   61 Extraction gripper    -   62 Opening/closing motor    -   63 Reciprocating motor    -   64 90-Degree rotation motor    -   70 Transfer device    -   71 Relay gripper    -   72 Insertion gripper    -   73 Relay gripper opening/closing motor    -   74 Relay gripper 90-degree rotation motor    -   90 Belt conveyer    -   110 Tray    -   111 First placement portion for extraction bag    -   112 Second placement portion for extraction bag    -   120 Rotating disk    -   130 Belt    -   140 Bucket table    -   141 Bucket    -   142 Bottom receiving guide    -   143 Side guide    -   150 Pressing plate    -   160 Pressure plate    -   170 Gripper    -   L1, L2, L3, L4 Shaft    -   P1 Position where extraction bag is received from    -   belt conveyer    -   P2 Observation position    -   P3 Tag direction adjustment position    -   P4 Hopper descend start position    -   P5 Receiving position of extraction bag on lower table    -   Pa Relay position    -   Pb Delivery position    -   R Rocking region

1. A method for manufacturing a package in which an extraction baghaving four triangular surfaces is stored in an exterior bag, the methodcomprising: a direction regulation step of regulating a direction of theextraction bag to be a specified direction; a pressing step of pressingthe extraction bag so that one surface or one side of the extraction bagis folded into two; a folding step of folding the extraction bag bysurface-pressing of the extraction bag from both sides of surfaces whichare overlapped upon being folded into two; and a packaging step offorming a package in which the folded extraction bag is stored in theexterior bag.
 2. The method for manufacturing a package according toclaim 1, wherein: the extraction bag is an extraction bag with a threadtag in which a tag joined to a hanging thread is attached to atriangular surface; and in the direction regulation step, the directionof the extraction bag is regulated to be a direction in which thetriangular surface with the tag attached thereto is not folded in thefolding step.
 3. The method for manufacturing a package according toclaim 1, wherein the extraction bag is received in a holding deviceprovided with, in a bottom thereof, a placement section to which onetriangular surface of the extraction bag is fitted, and in the directionregulation step, oscillation is provided to the extraction bag withinthe holding device so that the triangular surface of the extraction bagis fitted to the placement section, thereby regulating the direction ofthe extraction bag.
 4. The method for manufacturing a package accordingto claim 3, wherein the extraction bag is an extraction bag with athread tag in which a tag joined to a hanging thread is attached to atriangular surface, and the direction of the placement section isregulated in the direction regulation step so that the surface to whichthe tag is attached faces the side folded into two in the folding step.5. The method for manufacturing a package according to claim 1, whereinin the direction regulation step the direction of the extraction bag isregulated so that one side of the extraction bag makes the lowermost endand extends in a conveying direction of the extraction bag, and in thepressing step an upper end side of the extraction bag is folded intotwo.
 6. An apparatus for manufacturing a package in which an extractionbag having four triangular surfaces is stored in an exterior bag, theapparatus comprising: a direction regulation device for regulating adirection of the extraction bag to be a specified direction; a pressingdevice for pressing the extraction bag so that one surface or one sideof the extraction bag is folded into two; a folding device forperforming surface-pressing of the extraction bag from both sides ofsurfaces that are overlapped upon being folded into two so as to foldthe extraction bag flat; and a package forming device for packaging thefolded extraction bag with an outer packaging film so as to form apackage in which the extraction bag is stored in the exterior bag formedof the outer packaging film.
 7. The manufacturing apparatus according toclaim 6, comprising delivery means for holding the extraction bag foldedflat to take out of the folding device and delivering the extraction bagto the package forming device.
 8. The apparatus for manufacturing apackage according to claim 6, wherein the extraction bag is anextraction bag with a thread tag in which a tag joined to a hangingthread is attached to a triangular surface, and the direction regulationdevice regulates the direction of the extraction bag to be a directionin which the triangular surface to which the tag is attached is notpressed inside by the pressing device.
 9. The apparatus formanufacturing a package according to claim 6, wherein the directionregulation device includes a holding device provided with a placementsection to which one triangular surface of the extraction bag is fitted,and regulates the direction of the extraction bag so that the triangularsurface of the extraction bag is fitted to the placement section byapplying oscillation to the extraction bag fed within the holdingdevice.
 10. The apparatus for manufacturing a package according to claim9, wherein the extraction bag is an extraction bag with a thread tag inwhich a tag joined to a hanging thread is attached to a triangularsurface, and the direction regulation device regulates the direction ofthe placement section so that the surface to which the tag is attachedfaces the side folded into two in the pressing device.
 11. The apparatusfor manufacturing a package according to claim 6, wherein the directionregulation device holds the extraction bag so that one side of theextraction bag makes the lowermost end and extends in a conveyingdirection of the extraction bag, and the pressing device folds an upperend side of the extraction bag into two.